Former Murdoch Editor Hired by Rival NY Tabloid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Daily News of New York
has hired Colin Myler as its editor-in-chief, an appointment
that is certain to add spice to the newspaper's long and heated
rivalry with the New York Post and its owner, Rupert Murdoch.

Myler, who replaces Kevin Convey, had long been a close
lieutenant of Murdoch, serving as managing editor of the New
York Post before he was brought to London to clean up the
scandal-plagued News of The World in 2007. Myler oversaw the
News of the World until the 168-year-old tabloid was closed this
summer.

Since then Myler's relationship with the Murdoch family, and
Rupert's son James in particular, has deteriorated into
finger-pointing and accusations.

The Daily News, New York's largest-circulation daily
newspaper, said Myler, 59, would take over as its top editor on
January 10.

"The New York Daily News is a great institution of American
journalism which will only get better under the leadership of
Colin," publisher Mort Zuckerman said in a memo distributed on
Wednesday.

After four decades in journalism, Myler may be best known
outside of media circles for his association with the News of
the World, a tabloid wrecked by a phone-hacking scandal
involving celebrities, politicians and a murdered schoolgirl.

Myler was brought in to set straight the tabloid, but
eventually saw it shut by the Murdoch family as the scandal
worsened. In the months that have followed, Myler has become a
central figure in questions over how much James Murdoch knew
about the hacking.